Police officer accused of abusing pregnant fiancee

The former fiancee of a Calgary police officer said Thursday she was the victim of domestic violence.

And Const. Mark McCullough agreed there was domestic abuse in his southeast home last November — but said he was the victim.

Jessica Nelson testified she was assaulted by McCullough on Nov .11 and Nov. 20, 2016, while she was more than 30 weeks pregnant with his child.

McCullough, 44, faces three charges of assault in connection with the two altercations.

Nelson told Crown prosecutor Dane Rolfe the accused chased her from the house on Nov. 11, after she grabbed his cellphone.

She said he grabbed her by the wrist and used a manoeuvre to put her on the ground.

But defence lawyer Cory Wilson suggested the incident happened differently, and his client agreed.

McCullough testified he chased after Nelson and grabbed his phone out of her hand, denying he forced her to the ground.

Nelson said the domestic violence escalated nine days later when she and McCullough got into an argument, which was typical in their tumultuous relationship, which included infidelity by both parties.

She said the officer, who is suspended with pay, told her at 5 a.m. that morning he wanted to get drunk.

Fearing he could harm himself if he did so, she began pouring bottles of booze down their kitchen sink.

She said McCullough then grabbed her wrists and subsequently her biceps and marched her out of the kitchen.

“He started yelling how pathetic I am and that I will never be stronger than him,” she said.

At one point McCullough grabbed her from behind.

“He reached from behind me and picked me up from the top of the stomach,” she said. “He had lifted me by our baby.” McCullough offered a different version of events.

He told Wilson that Nelson struck him and he put her in a bear hug to get her out of the area.

Both said the physical altercation continued upstairs when Nelson went to pack after McCullough told her to leave.

She said she was in her son’s bedroom when McCullough came into the room.

“That’s when he put his hands around my neck,” she said.

Nelson said McCullough went from choking her to pushing her to the floor, where she struck her ribs and right forearm on her son’s bed.

McCullough’s version again differed, explaining he had gone up to see her son and she attacked him again.

At that point he used a takedown method to get her to stop.

Wilson and Rolfe will provide written submissions in the case to provincial court Judge John Holmes.

A date for Holmes’ verdict will be set Monday.

He reached from behind me and picked me up from the top of the stomach. He had lifted me by our baby. JESSICA NELSON, testifying at the trial of Con st. Mark McCullough